William Greene Abbot

“ Government.—Connecticut is represented in the National Congress by two senators and four representatives, and has now six votes in the Presidential electoral college. The State constitution provides distinct executive, legislative, and judicial powers. The chief officer, or governor, must be over thirty years of age. A majority vote in each house of the legislature carries a bill over his veto. ”

“ All elections are by ballot. Representatives are elected annually, and the general State officers and senators biennially, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Any male citizen of the United States, aged twenty-one, who shall have resided in the State one year, and in the town where he offers to vote, six months, and who can read any article of the constitution, is entitled to vote. ”

“ Notwithstanding the extensive sea coast and fine harbours, the foreign commerce is not heavy, the coast trade and fisheries being more important. There are in the State five custom districts, of which the ports of entry are Fairfield, Middletown, New Haven, New London, and Stonington. The imports from foreign countries and domestic exports for the year ending June 30, 1875, were as follows:—
The chief articles of export were grain, fire-arms, provisions, and manufactures of wood. ”

“ Though the number of farms has increased since 1850 and 1860, yet the acreage devoted to them has decreased, as has also the cultivated farm land in proportion to the uncultivated. The farms are passing into the hands of the Irish and Germans, who do their own work and live with few comforts. ”

“ As for zoology, songbirds of all sorts are plentiful, and the grouse and woodcock are increasing under the game laws, after having been nearly killed out. The Sound abounds in the best qualities of fish and shell-fish, while the freshwater varieties of the former are found in great quantities in the rivers and ponds, Aside from these there are few animals of importance save the domestic ones. ”

“ In 1870 there were about 7000 more females than males. About one-fifth of the population were foreign born, chiefly Irish, German, English, French, Canadian, and Scotch. It is the third State in the density of its population (113.15 to the square mile) , Massachusetts (186) and Rhode Island (208) exceeding it, while New York follows next (87) . In 1875 the births were 14,328 (141 illegitimate) ; marriages, 4385 (below the average for the last 11 years) ; deaths, 9833 (25 per cent. from diseases of the respiratory organs) ”

“ Consumption is the most fatal disease, causing 16 per cent. of all the deaths. The vegetation is rich and varied. The most abundant trees are chestnut, walnut, birch, oak, elm, maple, beech, and ash. The forests have been recklessly cut away, and only patches of woodland remain; but the people are waking up to the importance of tree-planting. ”

“ The average income (during 1875) was 6.62 per cent., nearly all of which is paid to depositors, there being no capital stock. The management is very strictly controlled by law, and about three-quarters of the assets are lent on real estate in the State. The whole number of fire and marine insurance companies doing business in the State in 1875 was 130, of which 32 were Connecticut companies. The assets of these last were $17,345,790, of which over 16 millions were held by 10 companies (mostly in Hartford) . ”

“ Population. Divisions.—The State is divided into 8 counties:—Hartford, New Haven, New London, Fairfield (all incorporated in 1666) , Windham (1726) , Litchfield, (1751) , Middlesex, and Tolland (1785) . New London, Middlesex, New Haven, and Fairfield occupy the lower half of the State, bordering on the Sound; the others occupy the other half, adjoining Massachusetts. ”

“ Social Statistics.—A large number of public and charitable institutions are maintained wholly or in part by the State, and for them it spent $135,463 during the year ending March 31, 1876. Among them are the following. The American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, at Hartford, was incorporated in 1816, being the oldest institution of the kind in the United States. In all, 2056 persons have received instruction, with an average attendance in 1875 of 218. The funds of the institution amount to $338,925. ”

“ In 1870, 1001 persons were engaged in fisheries, and the annual product was $769,799. Ship-building is a considerable industry. In 1875, 34 vessels were built of 5915 tons. The great industry of the State is in manufactures. These are exceedingly numerous and very productive, and most of them such as require ingenuity and intelligence on the part of the workmen. ”

“ The annual State grant is $11,000. The charge per pupil is $175 a year. There is no asylum for the blind, but an annual grant of $6000 is made for the care of the indigent blind at the Perkins Institute at Boston. There is a general hospital at New Haven chartered in 1827, with a training school for nurses attached; funds, $20,000; annual grant, $2000; patients in 1875, 436. The Hartford Hospital was opened August 1, 1860; funds, $153,500, but considerably in debt; annual grant, $2000; patients in 1875, 707. The Connecticut Hospital for the Insane, at Middletown, was opened in 1868 ”

“ There are about 13,000 miles of them, costing annually about $650,000. The banking interest of the State is commensurate with its large business, and shows a steadily increasing prosperity. At January 1, 1876, there were 79 national banks in the State, with a capital of $25,687,820; 4 State banks, with a capital of $1,450,000, and assets $3,917,953; 12 trust companies, with a capital of $2,450,000, and assets $6,183,643. These all do a heavy discounting and lending business with their capital and deposits, and pay dividends of 8 to 12 per cent. ”

“ In 1875 Connecticut had 1 mile of railway to 5.16 square miles of territory, and to 585 inhabitants. (Massachusetts had 1 mile to 4.29 square miles and 909 inhabitants; England 1 mile to 5.02 square miles and 1954 inhabitants.) There were 23 railroad companies, with 1184 miles of single track. The cost of these was $75,831,210; receipts for the year, $12,020,194 (50 per cent. from passengers) ; net earnings, $2,816,004, being 3.71 per cent. on the cost of the roads. Nine roads, costing nearly 8 millions, have no net income. ”

“ In the uplands dairy products and cattle raising are the chief resources of the farmer. There were in 1870, 25,508 farms, having 1,646,752 acres of improved land, and 717,664 acres unimproved, of which 577,333 were woodland. ”

“ The governor is commander-in-chief, and under him are a brigadier-general and staff and field officers. The brigade comprises four regiments of infantry (one from each congressional district) and one section of light artillery. ”